It is my frist time to visit Japan, but other than visiting Japan, everything were new to me no matter the airlines and the aircrafts.

This report will contain many parts as I had total 7 flights for this trip, including AI's new 77L, OZ new and old business class on 77E, IR's 74L, JL's AB6 and NH's 763, please stay tune

Part I: HKG-KIX on Air India 777-200LR in First Class

Air India operate the route DEL-HKG-KIX-HKG-DEL for a long time with their A310 3 times a week, during this year, AI changed the equipment to 777-200LR with very nice cabin hardware, so I give it a try as their fare are also very competitive with the competitors.

On the very early morning, thanks for my friend to drop me at the Tsing Yi AEL station...

Heading to Airport

I think every good (remote) airports should have express train service connecting to city.

Tight seating piitch

After 20 minutes, arrived the HKIA

Check-in area for Air India

Dedicated First Class counter

Proceed to immigration

AI 314 would depart at Gate 43

U.S. Air Force

Wanna try it!

Wow, she is arriving!

Still have some time to spend due to the flight turn around

Lounge visit, AI use The Travelers' Lounge in HKIA which located at the main departure level, it is a pay lounge which welcome everyone

Handed the invitation to the lounge attentant, he look like a disco bouncer

Hi there! Nice report, Japan is one of the countries that I would like to visit as well in the future. Air India looked to have a decent service on this flight, though I was surprised to see them flying HKG-KIX-HKG, much less on the 77L!

Quoting sutrakhk (Thread starter):Menu, the FA told me due to the new menu, new menu cards were not available yet, here is the food loading sheet from the caterer

Never seen that before but nevertheless a nice improvisation!

'He resembled a pilot, which to a seaman is trustworthiness personified.' Joseph Conrad

Pretty impressive. AI FCL hardware seems very good. Lack of menu is poor in F - and it is these small touches that separate the good from the great. However, everything else looks great and it seems AI continues to up its game. I have consistently had good experiences with them.

Thanks for the report. Much as I would love to try first class one day, that beige with gold trim scheme reminds me of tacky hotel/motels and drop in bathroom cubicles! Now to read the rest of your report...

Quoting kaitak (Reply 1):Looks good; the product looks great - pity about the menu card, but at least AI is making a clear effort to up its game, which it really needs to do.

Did you find the cabin crew welcoming and professional - and how would you rate them compared to other carriers in F class?

For the HKG-KIX, I found that the crew was not that warm and welcoming, but totally different on my KIX-HKG flight

Quoting ojas (Reply 2):'s unacceptable for F class, but I hope the quality of food made for the absence of menu cards.

The food was not bad at all, maybe there are some problems with their new menu, so give them a chance!

Quoting Luftfahrer (Reply 3):
Hi there! Nice report, Japan is one of the countries that I would like to visit as well in the future. Air India looked to have a decent service on this flight, though I was surprised to see them flying HKG-KIX-HKG, much less on the 77L!

Japan is a nice place to visit, but it would be better to do more homework before you go if you don't know Japanese.

AI is doing HKG-KIX-HKG on Day 3, 6, 7, HKG-ICN-HKG on Day 1, 2, 4, 5, using 77L

Quoting burj (Reply 7):So were you the only person in the F cabin? If so that is A LOT of food to load for just one person...

I agree if what other said...if they didn't have a proper menu the FA should have just read the options to you instead of handing you the food manifest from the caterer!

Yes, only me in First Class, but according to the list, the food loaded was mostly one portion for each kind of food, compare with my return leg, I cannot say it was too much.

Maybe there would be trouble when they read the options to me as I don't know much about Indian food. Anyway, the FA just show me the list to choose, and I take a pic on that list only.

Quoting abrelosojos (Reply 8):Pretty impressive. AI FCL hardware seems very good. Lack of menu is poor in F - and it is these small touches that separate the good from the great. However, everything else looks great and it seems AI continues to up its game. I have consistently had good experiences with them.

Saludos,
A.

It is glad to see the Indian carriers to growth during completition. Not only Air India, Jet Airways also have decent First class product too! Together with Kingfisher's business class,Indian carriers are now on.

Quoting sutrakhk (Reply 10):The food was not bad at all, maybe there are some problems with their new menu, so give them a chance!

It is not just about no menu, it is also from your pictures, it can also see ketchup packet, mustard packet, last but not least, salt and pepper packet. I was thinking why not use jam/preserve packet as well like McDonald's instead of those little jars ?

Even UA would put sauces in proper china in domestic F service. This is definately showing Y food service in F seat.

Quoting ORDnHKG (Reply 11):It is not just about no menu, it is also from your pictures, it can also see ketchup packet, mustard packet, last but not least, salt and pepper packet. I was thinking why not use jam/preserve packet as well like McDonald's instead of those little jars ?

Even UA would put sauces in proper china in domestic F service. This is definately showing Y food service in F seat.

= Maybe its a cultural thing, but I find United "sauces" in domestic F in proper china sloppy. The little jars are actually very nice and I prefer them personally for sanitary and other reasons.

You must be a minority if you believe AI's food service in F is like Y on other carirers - especially on UAL .

Excellent trip report. Going to read the others you have posted here as well. AI cabin colours are very claming, almost such a contrast from their colours outside which scream colour, vibrancy and radiance that is very much India itself. The washrooms though look terribly plain for First Class. Very tack about the caterer's printout to be presented to you.

The whole AI F product looked pretty nice, liked the light colours in the cabin, not sure how well they will wear over time though.

Quoting sutrakhk (Thread starter):This report will contain many parts as I had total 7 flights for this trip, including AI's new 77L, OZ new and old business class on 77E, IR's 74L, JL's AB6 and NH's 763, please stay tune

- Nice, IR 74L!

Quoting sutrakhk (Thread starter):Air India operate the route DEL-HKG-KIX-HKG-DEL for a long time with their A310 3 times a week, during this year, AI changed the equipment to 777-200LR with very nice cabin hardware, so I give it a try as their fare are also very competitive with the competitors.

- Not sure this is the best use of the 77L.

Quoting sutrakhk (Thread starter):Menu, the FA told me due to the new menu, new menu cards were not available yet, here is the food loading sheet from the caterer

- Hmm, not come across that excuse yet.

Food and presentation looked pretty decent too, AI seem to have raised their game for sure.

Hi Sutrakhk,
Thanks for this informative insight into what can only be described as an unusual aircraft / route / Airline combination!

Quoting sutrakhk (Thread starter):
Lounge visit, AI use The Travelers' Lounge in HKIA which located at the main departure level, it is a pay lounge which welcome everyone

I found it a bit strange to see that Swiss International Airlines uses this lounge, Surely they would use a star aliance facility? Maybe its to do with the timing of their flights.
Does anyone know which lounge NZ uses in Hong Kong? The SQ one? Red Carpet?
Thanks,
Timb777